It Was More Than a Contest
by Desi-Pari Always
Summary: Willy Wonka has come out with a new contest, this time for adults only. Samantha is a genius baker who, along with her best friend and partner in crime: Jasmine, wants nothing more than to win. Well maybe one thing more. Will Samantha's dreams come to fruition? Or will a malicious creeper snatch her well-deserved victory? BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR ThePurpleness!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I know a lot of you have been waiting for me to update my pirates story but this story has temporarily taken precedence as it is a birthday present for the most amazing best friend ever: ThePurpleness. I intend to finish this story by this Saturday and then get back to work on pirates BUT if the Huskers win their next game that day I will work tirelessly to update pirates on Sunday. Good deal? Well that's the deal anyway. GO BIG RED!

p.s. Yes my beloved purpley one, I had to squeeze that in there lol

**Disclaimer: **You know it, I know it, I don't own it.

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Free of any obstruction, two smooth, pale, and strong hands gently caressed her bare hips. Upwards, they skimmed across taught skin and quivering muscles before reaching a pair of firm, yet supple breasts. Though not particularly large, they were the perfect size for his hands. A perfect handful and a perfect _mouthful_. Gently he tugged on the pebbled flesh so wantonly displayed before him and she gasped beneath him when in the next second, he blew a soft, cool breath on the now moist flesh. As his one hand continued working her breasts, his second traveled down, parting her moistened lips and feeling her eagerness for _all_ of him.

Slowly, he peppered kisses upwards along her skin, pausing to nip at the juncture between her neck and collarbone, following her jaw line and gently tugging her earlobe before whispering her name into her ear causing shivers to cascade down her spine. He pulled back far enough that she could gaze into his two endless pools of violet wonders, unparalleled by any eyes she had seen thus far in her thirty-six years of life. He seemed to contemplate the perfect words to express his need, desire, and love for her and opened his mouth to draw in a deep breath before speaking the words that would change the status of their relationship forever more,

"Good morning London! It's eight o'clock and partly cloudy with more than a slight chance of hale later in the day so all you pedestrians out there might need more than an umbrella. In other news-"

Samantha mumbled to herself as she rolled over and smacked her alarm until it stopped talking. _'Of course...a dream. It had to be a dream.'_ She thought to herself. Oddly enough however, she couldn't shake it. Those eyes, they haunted her. She had been having dreams of this wonderful violet-eyed man on and off for the last two months. Each time, she woke with an aching between her legs, longing to be released by a wondrous and slightly eccentric man with purple orbs that seemed to glow with emotion. The morning she awoke after having this dream for the first time, she had officially declared purple as her absolute favorite color. If only such a man truly existed.

But who ever heard of purple eyes?

Sighing dejectedly, she heaved herself out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom to get ready for the day. Samantha co-owned a bakery with her favorite person in the whole world; her slightly psychotic but absolute best friend, Jasmine. The two made an awesome team. Where Jasmine was a master in the kitchen making things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; Samantha couldn't make an un-burnt piece of toast to save her life. Where Samantha worked wonders with sugars and sweets, Jasmine couldn't tell the difference between fondant and chocolate molds. Where Jasmine seemed completely outgoing and rambunctious on the outside, she was structured and organized on the inside; and where Samantha seemed slightly reserved and shy on the outside, she had one of the most amazing imaginations a person could ever encounter, short of meeting the great Willy Wonka that is.

Jasmine and Samantha were seemingly opposites in every way, but the two were closer than conjoined twins. Samantha was the heart of the bakery. It absolutely would not run without her and Jasmine was virtually banned from the kitchens unless someone was there to instruct her. Jasmine's use came with bringing their ho-hum bakery out from the shadows. Jasmine had graduated from a local university with a degree in business and a minor in art; it was her job to advertise all the wonders that Samantha was capable of baking.

One thing that constantly drove the two insane around each other however, was Samantha's unwillingness to take risks. She had always feared rejection, and with things such as tastes and treats, rejection was an all too probable possibility. She had ideas more grand than any ordinary sweet maker and Jasmine thoroughly believed that she belonged in the large grey factory overlooking their town. Almost all of her truly original ideas were the same sort of far-fetched 'impossibilities' that Willy Wonka had made possible! But Samantha lacked the tools and inventions to make her ideas happen and thus would simply share her latest idea with Jasmine and then forget she ever had it.

Samantha had always aspired to one day work for the legend known as Willy Wonka; admiring from afar and gawking at the marvels to come from his factory, she had just never been able to force herself to present her ideas to him. And now it was too late. The factory doors were closed to all but one Charlie Bucket, a lucky little scrapper who won the prize of a lifetime – inheritance of Willy Wonka's fantasy land of chocolates.

No sooner had Samantha stepped out of her now steam-filled bathroom wrapped in a warm and fuzzy, white towel did Jasmine burst through the door to her flat proclaiming, "The fun has arrived!" With a flamboyant wave of her hips she wrapped her arms around her best friend, ignoring her state of undress and continued, "And she's got _awesome_ news that's just going to make you scream and jump and yell and hop and shout and skip and-"

"Jazz!" Samantha exclaimed trying to get her friend to calm down, "I get it, I'll love it, now what is it?" She asked exasperatedly as she turned to get ready, not caring if Jasmine was there or not.

"Guess who's got another contest?" Jasmine said in a sing-song tone while waving a colorful flyer in the air.

"No way!" Samantha's eyes widened as she stared at the paper being waved about, she quickly threw on the first clean shirt she found and snatched the flyer, bringing it closer to her face as she read and a grin worthy of the Cheshire cat grew.

"Way Sammy! Wonka's got a contest and you are entering! I am _not_ taking 'no' for an answer! This is totally a legitimate excuse to get some of your crazy cool ideas on paper and _in production!_ Just read the paper, it's got it all written right there! And it's more information he ever gave for those five stupid kids I'll tell you that! Not that Charlie Bucket is stupid mind you, I always liked that kid; he was just so cute and adorable just standing there staring through the bakery window, you know I'd sneak him a cupcake every now and then, anyway-"

By this point Samantha had completely tuned out her friend as she read and reread the paper in her hand:

**I Willy Wonka, (and I suppose he, Charlie Bucket), would like you, the people, to take part in a contest sponsored by Wonka Industries. It is easy to create candy that children will love when you work with the mind of a child. But adults enjoy the occasional treat as well do they not? The contest is simple and if you wish to participate, please take an envelope containing contest rules and such else.**

She then looked up and saw Jasmine still holding the envelope as she ranted, "Jazz can I see the envelope please?" Samantha asked calmly.

"Hmm? Oh right, the envelope, well here you go. Now as I was saying we really should-"

Once more Jasmine's words were tuned out as Samantha concentrated on the words in front of her on the piece of paper that would no doubt change her life. Jasmine was certain that Samantha would win and the more she thought about it, the more Samantha thought she could win as well. After all, her ideas truly were one of a kind. The paper read thusly:

_To participate you must be age adult and older, you must submit an _**original**_ idea that adults everywhere will enjoy as a candy or chocolate, I have many resources at my disposal and should you plagiarize any such work, you will be persecuted to the extent of my, and my fellow chocolate man's, power. (And that is a very high mark mind you.)_

_ Simply write down an idea and seal it in this envelope. Walk through the gates of my factory (which will remain open during the course of this contest but HEAVILY guarded, anyone who walks in for any reason besides submitting their idea will be forcibly, and quite probably painfully, removed from the premises and will forever more be banished from the grounds for the rest of their existing life), come up to the main doors, and slide your envelope through the mail slot. This ensures that your idea will not be stolen or removed from this contest before I have had the chance to evaluate it._

_ The prize for winning will be well worth your time and effort because only the best idea will win. I repeat: ONE IDEA WILL WIN. And will be sold with the Wonka patent. Of course I and my partner are not one for taking credit for another's hard work. A share of the profits will thus be awarded to you, along with the first right to try your finished product. _

_ Participants with credible ideas will also receive a free sample of their own ideas (made one of a kind for them alone); these ideas WILL NOT be marketed._

_~ Sincerely Willy Wonka...__ and Charlie Bucket._

Samantha laughed at the smaller scrawl that was, evidently, Charlie Bucket attempting to squeeze his name into the paper after Willy had 'forgotten' to add it in. Jasmine had stopped talking a while ago and silently watched her friend smile wider and wider until she was laughing before asking, "So Sammy? Whaddya say? Are you going to give this a shot?"

Samantha looked up into her friend's hopeful eyes and smiled; giving one determined nod of her head she sealed her fate, "Yes." She replied, "I think I will."


	2. Chapter 2

Samantha stood behind the counter of the bakery resting her head in her right hand while her left continually tapped her fingernails in an irritated manner. Participating in Wonka's newest contest seemed like a grand idea when reading the script in front of her. After all, here was her one chance to let loose her millions of ideas without fear of personal rejection. Here was her one chance to be an anonymous voice with an idea that was confirmed by her best, albeit biased, friend. She was willing to take the leap, take the plunge and completely expose herself as either prosperous or a daydreaming fool but therein lay the problem.

She couldn't remember a single one of her ideas. Nothing. Not a one.

Jasmine was in the back room getting ingredients out and going through all the prep work so that things would be ready to go in fifteen minutes when they opened shop. _Besties' Bakery, _so named for the two best friends that owned it, believed in service both friendly and fresh where the food was prepared only upon ordering. For their small-sized business this helped not only build good customer relations but ensured no surplus leading to waste.

Soon enough, their one and only employee walked through the door and flipped the 'closed' sign to read 'open'. At nine o'clock on the dot, the bell on top of the door jingled and Jasmine's voice could be heard from the back, "Doth my ears deceive me or is that our favorite customer?"

"Hello dear!" Mrs. Jenkins, their most loyal customer answered. She came in every morning perfectly punctual and always ordered the same half dozen raspberry chocolate muffins with a lemon mint icing on top. Jasmine was always happy to hear this particular order as it had been one of the few items she had thought of herself and she was quite proud of its success.

"Hi Mrs. Jenkins, the usual?" Sam asked as she saw the older woman approach the counter.

"Of course love, I just can't get enough of those tasty treats you've invented." She replied with a chuckle.

"My idea by the way!" Jasmine said happily as she came from the back with a box she had begun preparing the moment they stepped into the bakery. She gave the package of goodies to Mrs. Jenkins with a cheeky grin on her face.

"Yes Jasmine we know, there's no need to announce it every single time we sell some." Sam replied with an amused expression crossing her face.

"Hey, it's not every day that I come up with an amazing idea rivaling that of the chocolate Gods from the baking heavens above. Unlike you who has invented fifteen/eighteenths of the original menu choices."

"But dear," Mrs. Jenkins said with a confused look, "there are only eighteen items **on** the original menu."

"Precisely." Jasmine replied, "Three of which are my ideas, fifteen of which are hers." She nodded her head in Samantha's direction. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm off to confront the dearly beloved chocolate deities on their unfair distribution of gifts. Though having said genius as my best friend means I get first dibs on whatever new masterpiece she invents. Though said masterpieces usually take a few tries to get right leaving the first few as horrible, horrible tragedies lingering on the poor unsuspecting taste buds littering on ones tongue. Hmm." She rubbed her chin in contemplation, "I must go ponder this while I sort through paperwork and such boring things." Jasmine turned around and disappeared into the back room leaving Mrs. Jenkins and Sam at the front counter trying their damndest not to laugh outright.

"I think I finally understand why someone almost completely inept at constructing baked goods is your business partner." Mrs. Jenkins chuckled.

"Exactly." Samantha replied, "That woman could make a lawyer tell the truth in a heartbeat. And here's the real kicker," She leaned in as if about to whisper a dire secret, "they wouldn't even realize they did!" Both women broke into peals of laughter as a sarcastic and disembodied `_Ha-Ha'_ could be heard from the back.

The rest of the day was fairly routine with customers in and out with random intervals of dead silence. The topic of quite a few discussions was of course Willy Wonka's new contest and this sent Samantha into another spiral of anger at her own foolishness for forgetting her own ideas!

What really touched both the girls' hearts however was that all of the loyals that walked in that day asked if they had heard of the contest and were verbally forced into entering an idea. Whether they understood that Samantha was the brains behind the concoctions or not it did not matter, for they all had such faith in whatever the two girls marketed that they felt Wonka would face a grave loss should they not enter _something._

"Sam darling are you going to be pouty all day because I really must say you're starting to kinda bum me out." Jasmine said in a flamboyant tone as she wiped down a few counters.

"I'm just thinking is all Jazz, but whatever I try to think of keeps eluding me by a hair width!" She slammed her head down onto the counter in front of her.

"Sammy doll you have just to say the magic words and your Jazzy babe'll take care of everything!"

Sam looked up at Jasmine and glared, "Hon are you secretly a poofter?"

"Is there something wrong with feeling bubbly? I did not think so now say the damn words so we can get you out of this funk." Jasmine snapped with a glare back at her friend, childishly sticking out her bottom lip to pout.

"What magic words?!"

Jasmine let out a large, heaving sigh before replying in a very 'duh' tone, "Jasmine, I need you to help me with this contest because I was too stupid to ever realize my ideas had any merit and didn't write any of them down unlike you who is so totally the most brilliant person I've ever had the pleasure of befriending."

Sam's face contorted into a shit-eating grin as she looked at Jasmine. She leaped out of her seat and glomped her best friend saying, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Ahem." Jasmine said expectantly seemingly nonplussed by her friend's reaction.

Sam released her from the hug and recited in a high-pitched excited tone, "Jasmine, I need you to help me with this contest because I was too stupid to ever realize my ideas had any merit and didn't write any of them down unlike you who is so totally the most brilliant person I've ever had the pleasure of befriending. Now show me the damn things you wrote down!" At this point she was almost jumping up and down.

"Oh my, you do flatter an old friend." Jasmine replied with a whimsical sigh, "Very well I shall indeed show you the things of yours I've written down and perhaps together we shall contrive an idea most brilliant."

Samantha laughed and hugged her friend once more, "You have to be the most random person I've ever met but I love you all the same hon."

"Love ya too doll." Jasmine returned the affection, "Now let's go see what we've got eh?" The two friends locked up the bakery and went back to Jasmine's flat that was conveniently just above Samantha's.

As Sam moved to put the kettle on the stove, Jasmine went to her room where she kept her valuables locked away and returned with a small, black, leather-bound book. The two spent close to an hour and a half sitting on the couch, drinking tea, and going over the various ideas trying to decide the best one to enter but as Sam looked over each one she slowly began to realize the impossibility of her ideas and became downhearted. "Jazz, let's just give this up. There's no way I'm going to win with these crack-pot ideas."

"Okay that's it." Jasmine stood up angrily, "Choose five ideas from that book that you remember and like the most, I'll be right back." She walked off and returned shortly with a pin-striped fedora and five small slips of paper.

"You're kidding me." Sam replied.

"Nope. Let's go. Right now." Jasmine replied seriously. They wrote down the five ideas on the slips of paper and shook them up inside the hat. "Now reach in and pull out the very first one you touch but don't look at it."

Sam did as she said and as soon as a slip was in sight, folded and unreadable, Jasmine stole it from Sam's hand and tossed the remaining ideas in the paper shredder. "Now go home and go to sleep." Jasmine told her sternly.

"But what's the-"

"I'm not telling you. **I'll** write the idea down and seal it in the envelope and **you** will simply have to slip it through the mail slot when I give it to you."

"But why don't you just-"

"Sammy I'm doing this for your own good. If you don't know which idea it is you won't be so nervous. And before you ask the reason **you** have to slip it in the factory is because Wonka is guarding the gates, they're watched at all times remember? If one person enters an idea and another person accepts the prize what message does that send him?"

"Good point. Fine. I'll go to sleep and I'll see you tomorrow. But you'll walk with me when I go to turn it in won't you?"

"Of course! What sort of besty would I be if I didn't?"

Sam laughed before waving goodnight and leaving the flat for her own. Jasmine looked down at the slip of paper and smiled as she read it. This particular idea had always been one of her favorites. She took out a clean sheet of paper and wrote down Sammy's name, the business address (just for added safety's sake she didn't write her home address), and the business phone number. Once all the formalities were done, she copied down the idea and folded the paper into an envelope she had labeled _**Wonka's Winner-To-Be **_and sealed it tight. She then placed it on the coffee table with a smile and went to bed.


	3. Chapter 3

William Wilbur Wonka looked over the tapes of those coming onto his factory grounds to enter his contest. He was honestly surprised at how many people had ideas. He truly did not believe this ho-hum little town had much imagination considering the drab color of grey that seemed to haunt the city day in and day out. Once he actually read the submissions for the first day he realized he was right. Not one of those ideas would ever have any sort of standing among Wonka industries. They weren't nearly imaginative enough and some were just so over-used!

Apparently the only ideas people had regarding 'grown-up' candy involved alcohol and flowers. Where was the wonder in that? Of course there were a few interesting ones. One that made his ears turn red and throw Charlie out of the room for fear he might accidentally read it. Some men seemed to have trouble satisfying their lovers and it was a well known fact that women react wonderfully to chocolate. One contestant went as far as to suggest Wonka Industries should make an aphrodisiac chocolate to induce a woman's 'happy time'! There mere thought of marketing something so befouling to the innocent name that was Wonka sent uncontrollable shivers down his spine.

The most applicable thing he had read all day was an insta-melt chocolate that remained perfectly solid and unmelty in the wrapper and in your finger but melted the moment it touched your tongue. Though this was a fabulous idea, Willy could see many things going wrong and no way to market them without the possibility of being sued for false advertising. If there's one thing Willy had learned over the years is that people will find any reason they can to sue the rich and famous. No; marketing this idea would only cause problems and would leave William Wonka as the laughing stock of the world once the media was unleashed. And he simply could not let that happen.

Willy heaved a massive sigh and slunk back into his overly plush burgundy arm chair that resided in his office. Charlie had questioned the sanity of having a comfortable chair in the office thinking it would only be a distraction but Willy had countered with the fact that one should always have comfort in the place one is most stressed.

Shaking himself of his reveries he placed the insta-melt idea on the corkboard in front of him in the second place standing. He had hope that by the end of the week a first-place idea should come about, and if not he would simply extend the deadline another week. And another. And another and another until an idea worthy of the Wonka patent was in submission. With that thought in mind he placed the corkboard back on the wall, with its one sad and pathetic idea posted in the middle, before switching off his desk lamp and turning in for bed.

The next morning as he awoke, he felt a strange sense of assurance wash over him. He just felt good in a general sense and he felt ready to face the day head-on with courage and strength. He had a certain spring in his step and he went about his chores, looking over the machinery and making sure everything is running smoothly, doing his daily rounds through each of the rooms (which took quite some time, even with Charlie's new found help, as there were at least a hundred if not more), and rationing out the cocoa beans for the oompa loompas.

By the time evening rolled around he began to feel a little bit anxious at the thought of what ideas he would have to read today. This time he learned from his mistake, as this was an adult competition for adult candies, Charlie could have no part in any of it until all of the kinks were worked through and it was completely child-proof.

As he looked through the scribbled writings of hopers and dreamers he started to feel the same dread he felt just the night before. None of these were worth anything to the Wonka name. He sighed once again and rubbed his face tiredly before something interesting caught his eye.

He turned to look at the screen displayed on the small television. It was the view of the main gates for all those came to enter their idea. He saw two women, younger than him though by no more than ten years he presumed, acting like completely deranged children! Instead of walking or jogging or running up to the mail slot like he had watched countless others do, they were…_leapfrogging_ over each other and giggling all the way. Bemusedly he watched them make slow progression to the front doors until finally slipping the envelope into the mail slot. It wasn't long before one of the oompa loompas was delivering said envelope to him and he could not help the smirk that crossed his face as he saw neatly and plainly written on the front:

_**Willy Wonka's Winner-To-Be**_

He chuckled to himself once more at the confidence of this contestant…or contestants, and broke the seal. Upon reading the idea his eyebrows shot up to hide beneath his fringe and an honest to God smile erupted on his face as he laughed whole-heartedly at this turn of events. `_Finally!'_ He thought, `_Here lies the ingenuity I was looking for! __**Someone**__ who gets it!'_ He jumped out of his seat and pinned the idea in the first place slot on the corkboard now looking at the insta-melt chocolate with little more than content. Suddenly the idea of insta-melt paled in comparison. The spring in his step was back as he just about skipped to his bed, though how he was supposed to sleep with this idea running through his mind he had absolutely no idea.

Days passed and no more grand ideas were coming, in fact they seemed to be getting _worse_ if that were possible. One contestant had the idea to make an edible chocolate candle. Though amusing and possibly a good gag gift to give, what was the point of a candle that smelled of chocolate if one was simply going to eat it? Why not set a chocolate brick on fire and then eat the run-off? Same basic principle.

By the time Friday rolled around he was ready to just announce the odd girls as the winner until he saw another peculiar sight on screen. A dodgy looking man with a trench coat walked through the gates. He had a reserved look about him and he hunched over within his coat clutching an envelope to his chest as he scurried to the door. He slipped in his idea and jerked his head in all directions making sure no one had seen him and reminding Willy greatly of the squirrels in the nut room. Once the man was content no one was there he turned and ran as fast as he could out of the gates and down the street. `_How very odd.'_ Willy thought as an oompa loompa brought the envelope to him. Upon reading the idea he was once again stumped. Here lie _yet another _ingenious idea.

He looked up at the corkboard and took down the idea he had placed as number one. These ideas, though having little to do with the other seemed familiar to one another which was just a little _too_ odd. Perhaps they were stolen? He would have to do some serious background checking to make sure of this. He may even have to visit these two contestants in person. Though they would not be able to know it was him. `_Hmm, this is indeed a conundrum.'_ He looked back up at his corkboard and moved the insta-melt idea into third place, the strange women's idea into first place (it was only fair as they were first), and the strange man's idea into second place. He then steepled his hands under his chin and pondered this situation before leaving for bed that night. He had some serious thinking, serious plotting, and serious decision-making to do.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Don't own the songs either

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The next morning, Jasmine and Samantha entered their bakery and began preparing for the day in a fabulous mood. Both were smiling endlessly and dancing about their work singing to the radio that could be heard from the back room.

"I put my hands up in the air sometimes, sayin' ay-oh! Gotta let go!" Jasmine sang at the top of her lungs, waving her arms about in madness.

"I wanna celebrate and live my life, sayin' ay-oh! Baby let's go!" Samantha sang back in equal madness just as Bridgette, their lone employee walked in.

"Cause we gon' rock this club! We gon' go all night!" She joined in as the three together belted, "We gon' light it up, like it's dynamite!"

As Mrs. Jenkins walked into the mad fray she smiled and, somehow managing to be heard over the noise, asked, "I take it there's good news?"

"I finally got Sammy here to enter an idea!" Jasmine squealed as she grabbed Mrs. Jenkins' hands and began to dance around the bakery with her, "Cause I told you once! Now I told you twice! We gon' light it up, like it's dynamite! Cause who in the world is ever going to beat our Sammy in this contest? Isn't that right sir?" She asked the next customer who walked in.

"Oh. Well. I don't know. I've never been here before you see." He muttered. He was oddly dressed in a pair of green corduroy pants, a vibrant pink shirt with a peace logo printed on front, large white spectacles, a small black bowler hat, and a pair of boots. He seemed an odd mix between an ex-junkie from the 70's and a circus clown but, a customer was a customer.

"Well then sir, allow me to educate you in the fabulous ways of our resident genius." Jasmine replied, slinging an arm over his shoulder and pulling him toward the menu.

"Jazz, shut up before you scare the guy." Samantha laughed from behind the counter, "I apologize for my obnoxious friend, she's just a little excited today."

"A little? Perish the thought! My best friend is finally going to be recognized for the genius that she is and meet the man of her dreams and all because of me!"

"Ahem." Mrs. Jenkins coughed.

"Oh yea and I suppose Willy too but seriously I mean he's only actually going to make it happen seeing as this has been like twelve years in the making." Jasmine muttered.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night Jazzy. It was all you." Samantha told her patronizingly, "And he is not the man of my dreams." She blushed, not having realized how obvious her infatuation was to her best friend.

"Why thank you. See I knew you knew it but I just had to make sure you knew you knew it or else it would do you no good for me to know it since you wouldn't have known you know it in the first place, you know?"

"…uhhhh. Sure?"

"And puh-lease, you _so _can **not** hide your crush on the world renowned chocolate maker."

"At least my dream guy's real!" She retorted.

"Your point? Mine's a swashbuckling pirate who steals my heart with every word he utters." Jasmine sighed in contempt and fluttered her eyelashes.

"Well Jack Sparrow isn't going to come waltzing into the store any time soon where as Willy Wonka very well could now away with you! Mrs. Jenkins needs her order."

"Ugh! You people just don't get me." Jasmine sighed dramatically, "I shall go wallow in the back while I get a batch of MY creation for our favorite Mrs. Jenkins." With that, Jasmine schlumped her way to the back room.

"Wo-ow." The strange new customer enunciated the word as two syllables, "Are things always like this around here?"

"You betchya!" Samantha replied, "So what looks good for ya? We can whip up just about anything on the menu in record time." She winked at him for good measure.

"You make everything fresh?"

"Sure do! That's our policy here at Besties' Bakery! We keep it friendly and fresh!"

Suddenly a burst of laughter came from the back as Jasmine came back through handing Mrs. Jenkins her box. "Sammy darling we don't keep it friendly and fresh. We keep it friendly and we MAKE it fresh."

Samantha blushed at Jasmine's implication and glared at her best friend as apparently the stranger had caught on as well. The faintest pink could be seen gracing his nose just beneath the obscene glasses he wore, "You know what I meant." She stuck out her tongue in retaliation, "Anyway what catches your fancy?"

The man browsed the menu up and down quite a few times before finally deciding, "I think I'll try the Lemon Merengue. Interesting choice of name mind you."

"That's because it's a lemon meringue cupcake that tickles your taste buds and dances all the way down!" Jasmine replied, ringing him up as Samantha went to make one, "You seem oddly familiar…though a bit…eclectic."

"Really? Well I can't imagine why that would be." He replied in an offhanded manor.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Yes it is."

"Well then why the aloof secrecy? And why the ginormo glasses that hide the majority of your face? And why the hat that really is not flattering one bit I must say."

"Is this how you treat all your customers?"

"Honesty is the best policy after all is it not? And besides we can't let just _any_ old nut job into this shop…you have to be a _special _sort of nut job. The sort of nut job that runs a factory on the other side of town and has a certain style about him only he could ever acquire. The sort of nut job who really should think about investing in a better disguise and remembering to keep his voice distorted even while under interrogation. Oh but not to worry. The best sort of nut jobs always have a specific type of following and as such certain peoples who happen to figure out certain nut jobs won't say any such epiphanous words to a certain contestant seeing as it should only prove to cause further nervousness on her part that a special certain nut job was checking up on her." Jasmine smiled her absolute pleasant smile as the man stared in utter shock, his mouth gaping open.

"Here's your cupcake sir, I hope…Jasmine what did you do and why is he gaping like a fish?"

"Why do you assume I did something?" Jasmine asked, "That hurts you know. Maybe he just has a strange facial tick. Maybe he gets lock jaw easily. Maybe he just now dropped his mouth in gaping wonder at the delightful aroma coming from my favorite item off the menu and the gorgeous lady who just so happens to be bringing it to him."

At these words, the man snapped his mouth shut and thanked Samantha for the cupcake, "If I may ask though, what is this cupcake exactly?"

"It's a succulent vanilla cake with teardrops of lemon meringue baked _inside_ and topped with a lemon meringue butter cream."

"Very interesting." He mused as he took his first bite. Both women new the exact moment the flavor pockets within the cupcake had burst as his eyebrows shot clear into his hairline, "That is amazing!" He exclaimed, "Simply fantastic! Though I feel compelled to ask. Do you use lemon extract or lemon oil for your meringue?"

"Well sir, you understand I can't go giving away all the secrets of my trade, you'd put me out of business!" Samantha laughed, "But I can tell you I use oil. Extract just isn't the same and I prefer the concentration difference."

"Marvelous. I must say you do indeed seem to deserve to win that contest. Toodle-oo!" He sang as he walked out the door, happily munching on his baked treat.

Jasmine squealed as she clapped her hands together and jumped up and down. "You have this contest in the bag!"

"It was just another customer Jazzy."

"Have a little faith my purple-crazed friend. You will meet the man of your dreams soon enough and then maybe he can create a life-size chocolate version of my man and I can happily devour him all night long." She giggled happily.

Samantha smacked her head at the blatant euphemism.


	5. Chapter 5

William Wilbur Wonka was conflicted. He had learned a great deal of things today. The first being he quite enjoyed cupcakes…of the lemon variety, which had him delighted. The second being that one of his contestants was romantically inclined towards him, which had him anxious. The third being that said contestant was the only one he could contact. The mysterious man who had left the idea for him had left a mailbox address to correspond to but no business or home address. This could be quite tricky to deal with as he was certain which of the two ideas deserved to win…but his suspicions for the runner-up were troublesome. The last thing he had learned was that the best friend of the intriguing contestant he had just visited was both very intelligent, and very cunning, and he wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or not.

Though her overall personality was entirely agreeable there was something underneath that had him question whether he could trust her. Of course he had learned his lesson from Charlie in that he would never mention his suspicions to Samantha should she in fact win his contest but he would continue to be wary. One could never be too careful and there had to be a reason that the top two ideas were so similar despite their differences. It was driving him closer to the edge of insanity!

"Hey Willy did you get- what in the world are you wearing?" Charlie Bucket asked as he walked in on the pacing chocolatier.

"A disguise, I couldn't very well have just walked out on the street and into the contestants' domains as myself could I? Well that just wouldn't have done, for I would have been spotted. No, no my dear boy, you have much to learn in the ways of espionage. One finds it does in fact go hand in hand with chocolatiering!" He replied.

"Rrrrriiiiight." Charlie assured, cocking an eyebrow, "Anyway, have you figured out the ideas?"

"Sort of." He paused, "No."

"We could extend the deadline? You did say the contest would run until there was a clear winner didn't you?"

"Well yes of course but I had hoped the contest would run quite quickly after all we aren't involving the whole world this time, and it really is no matter of chance just a matter of genius."

"And you think genius comes easy? Willy most people don't think like you do."

"And therein lies the problem because if I were the only person who thought like me then judging this contest would be quite easy, as it is there are two others who think like me and I'm just not sure who those two others are. Or if one of those two is an imposter or if there is in fact a third party or just a hired hand. Why must there be so many possibilities?!"

"Why don't we go back to those places tomorrow and this time I'll come with you. Maybe I can help. I am after all your…**h**eir." Charlie chuckled at his mentor's pronunciation.

"Well that's a splendid idea! The only way you'll learn the trade of espionage in chocolate is by experiencing the field! Well done my boy, now off with you, we'll need to disguise you as well."

"Actually, I don't think I'll need one." Charlie replied looking at the first idea.

"Why is that?" Willy's head turned to the side much like a curious hound.

"I know these women! I used to stand outside their bakery sniffing the air and Jasmine would come out and give me a free cupcake. They're awesome! And Samantha's a whizz in the kitchen. What's wrong with these two?"

"It's a complicated situation Charlie."

"Don't tell me you're paranoid again Willy."

"Read the second idea." He whispered. Charlie knew something was wrong when Willy used that voice. The serious voice.

"So what? They submitted two ideas? There are two of them maybe they thought they stood a better chance if each of them entered an idea."

"Charlie these two ideas were submitted by two different parties. The first by Samantha and her friend Jasmine. They submitted the idea together. The second submission was made by a suspicious character in an overcoat who was constantly glancing over what I assume to be _his_ shoulder."

"Well then I suppose we do have a problem. I'll go to the bakery tomorrow. You stay here. No offense to you or anything but you're not exactly inconspicuous."

"Hey!" Willy called at Charlie's back as the boy ran out of the office.

Charlie would find out if Jasmine had pushed someone else to submit another idea for Samantha. He didn't think it was something she would do, but there was no denying it. Both ideas came from the same person. And knowing the best friend bakers as he did, Charlie was sure the ideas both came from Samantha.

Walking into this bakery was always a pleasant and curious surprise for any patron. As Charlie walked in the morning after his discussion with Willy, certain to find some answers, Jasmine had swept him into a fast twirl and jig around the front of the shop singing the intro to _Space Jam_.

"Hey guys!" He laughed as she finally let him go to fill more cupcake boxes.

"Hey Charlie!" Sammy called to him.

"So little guy, please tell me you're here with good news?" Jasmine looked hopeful.

"Uhh, I want to buy a cupcake?" He asked, "The toasted s'mores one please."

"Aww, so nothing to do with the contest?" She pouted.

"So you entered then?" He asked.

"How do you not know?" Samantha asked as she brought one out from a batch she had just finished before he walked in.

"Willy kicked me out of the room, he said it was a grown-up contest so only grown-ups could read the ideas. I think someone sent him something naughty because he was spluttering about a lot."

The girls burst into laughter as Charlie took a bite, "Yea we entered." Jasmine replied, handing him a napkin.

"How many ideas?"

"Just one, but it's a doozy!"

"Come on Jazzy just tell me which one we entered!" Samantha complained.

"For the last time no!"

"Why can't she know?" Charlie mused.

"Yea why can't I know?"

"**Because!** If you know you'll be all self conscious and you so totally don't need to be now shush!"

"Can I know which one?"

"You could, but then people might think Sammy cheated when she wins and we can't have that."

"No I suppose not. Well anyway I've got lots to do back at the factory so I'm afraid I'll have to cut this visit short, but I'll definitely be coming back." Charlie smiled and waved as he skipped back to the factory. He was convinced both Samantha and Jasmine were genuine and he already knew Jasmine would never do anything to hurt Samantha. That could only mean someone was out to get them. Both of those ideas were Samantha's for sure. So who was the imposter? And how did he do it?

…

And how would he convince Willy the two best friends weren't conspiring?


	6. Chapter 6

The very next morning, Charlie walked purposefully down to Besties' Bakery with a reluctant Willy in tow. Many of the town's early risers paused briefly to examine a rather lanky young boy dragging by the arm, a much taller man clad in neon green and orange striped 80s pantaloons, a bright yellow shirt with an even brighter pink smiley face, a blue trench coat, and black boots. Another of Willy's "ingenious" disguises.

"Willy, you do know they know who you are right?" Charlie hugged with the effort of pulling him all this way.

"No, the short and somewhat scary one knows who I am. Not the pr- well the other one doesn't."

Charlie smirked, knowing what his friend was really going to say, "But they're best friends, Willy. Jasmine doesn't keep secrets from Samantha, it's just not the way they operate and she is not scary at all you big, wimpy potato."

"Potato?"

"Well I'm dragging you like a sack of them!"

"Regardless, the scary one will keep this secret because she said so." Willy replied with a humph.

"Whatever." At last they had reached the bakery but, just as Charlie reached for the door, it was swung wide open and both boys were greeted with the sight of an irate Jasmine literally booting a disheveled looking man out.

"Don't you **dare** show your face around here again you stupid, pathetic, over-sexed, over-**looked**, under-developed, sorry-excuse-for-a-thinks-he's-all-that-but-ain't-got-no-balls, shit-faced, man whore! You're lucky she looked your way in the first place and if I ever see you sniffing anywhere near here again, I will personally castrate whatever you have left with a very dull and very rusty spoon!" Jasmine finally took a deep breath and fixed her ruffled shirt as she watched the man flee for his life. She finally turned to see a gobsmacked Charlie and Willy and smiled, "Hi guys! Come on in!" Upon receiving no response she continued, "Oh don't mind that, I was just tossing out the washed-up rubbish. Sammy's out sick so it's just me and Bridgette to hold down the fort but hey, I've always got time for you Charlie-boy!" She tousled his hair and skipped inside.

"I now amend my earlier statement. She's not a little scary. She's positively psychotic!" Willy hissed.

Charlie said nothing, following Jasmine inside with nothing but concern on his face. Jasmine did not blow up without just cause; it just wasn't in her nature, "Jazz, what just happened?" Charlie asked, approaching the counter she was standing behind. Jasmine said nothing as she stood with the same smile, her hands clasped on the countertop, waiting patiently. Charlie sighed, "I'll take a vanilla-orange swirl with the orange crème icing and he'll take a praline cake with the almond milk frosting." He supplied, jerking a thumb in Willy's direction.

"Almond milk?" Willy looked up from an interesting display of mini-cupcakes organized to form a functioning baby mobile.

"Sammy went on a health kick once and tried to make a semi-healthy option…yea it didn't work out too well so she settled for reducing the calories in the frosting." Jasmine answered with an eye roll, giving the order to Bridgette.

"And I know how much you love nuts." Charlie chuckled.

Jasmine smirked, "Hey I don't judge, although I know a certain someone might be disappointed."

"When did you become such a smart-mouth little boy? I'll ignore it for now but you must remember that revenge will be mine, you said semi-healthy?" He turned back to Jasmine.

"Well," she shrugged, "they are still cupcakes."

"Interesting." Willy mulled, ideas already forming, "And what is this?" He pointed to the mobile.

"Great isn't it? We call them Munchable Marvels." Jasmine laughed, "If a customer's got a party or something and want to blow their guests away, they can come in here and talk to us and together we come up with an awesome idea like this one. A woman is throwing a baby shower for her older sister and wanted to surprise her." She gently tapped the mobile to make it swing.

"That's absolutely brilliant." Willy marveled.

"Yup! So what brings you two here?" Jasmine led them to a window table as the cupcakes came out, "I'm assuming, due to Willy's attire, you thought Sam was here?"

Willy blushed and took a bite of his cupcake. "Willy just wants to observe some of the contestants before he decides." Charlie answered, taking a bite of his own.

"Well shucks, too bad Sammy's out then, although it's a good thing since a-" Jasmine looked at Charlie and mended her speech, "butt-face showed up."

Charlie laughed, "It's a little late to fix your words Jazz, I heard you kick him out remember?"

"Hush child." Jasmine shot back, "It's a shame you can't see Sammy at her finest, although I don't see why you'd need to, her idea is brilliant and she has so many more just **as** brilliant. So brilliant in fact, some of our more loyal customers have taken to calling her Wilma Wonka!"

"So you know her ideas?" Willy asked, trying to appear casual.

"Of course." Jasmine replied, slightly miffed, "I'm the one who wrote them down and saved them because she was convinced her ideas were just mindless drivel that would never amount to anything despite the numerous times I or others told her otherwise."

"Jasmine, what was going on with that guy before we came?" Charlie interrupted before Willy could further stick his foot in his mouth.

Jasmine sighed and rubbed her face tiredly, leaning back in her chair, "That worthless d- um, piece of sh-crap is Sammy's ex. Long story short he acted like a pathetic a-loser and he really hurt Sammy. That's all I can really say Charlie, it's Sammy's business and you just have to respect that. But he doesn't deserve any sympathy for the way I treated him that's for sure. In fact I went easy on that son of a b-gun." She physically had to swallow the swear words in Charlie's presence.

As Willy walked briskly back to the sanctuary of his factory, Charlie struggled to keep up, "Didn't I tell you Willy? Jasmine loves Samantha and she would never hurt her, she couldn't be the one to betray her."

"But did you hear how she let some of those trade secrets slip?"

"Trade- what? Willy she only told you what other people already know! They make special requests and Sam went on a health kick that inspired the almond milk!"

"And what about the personal stuff? No one wants their dirty laundry aired to the public. That would be like you telling someone about my whole p-parent issues from before."

"Willy, Jasmine knows me."

"But she doesn't know me."

"But she trusts you through me."

"And you trust Bridgette through them but would you tell them about what goes on in my life?"

"To an extent." Charlie mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing! Look I get that your paranoid, **and **with just cause," Charlie added, seeing his glare, "but you can't just accuse Jasmine of doing something that horrible to her **best friend**. It's called Besties' Bakery for a reason you know."

"And I'm not going to accuse her of anything until I have the facts, I may lose a promising creator if I did that and I have no intention of making that mistake twice." He looked down at Charlie fondly, "No more of this depressing talk, I have ideas swirling and I must get them going! Let us be gone!" Willy took off in a sprint, racing Charlie back to the factory.


	7. Chapter 7

"Sammy?" Jasmine tentatively poked her head into Sam's bedroom, "You awake?" She whispered, not wanting to wake her if she wasn't.

"Mmm-hmm. Urgh, how did I catch a stomach bug and you didn't? We both ate the same crap."

Jasmine quirked an eyebrow, "I will ignore the dig on my cooking as I know you are feverish and therefore completely out of your mind but I will thank you not to hate on my culinary skills."

"Sorry, Jazz. You know that's not what I meant." Sam replied, her face only just peeking out from beneath her down comforter, "Did you bring me my medicine?"

Jasmine smiled, "Of course I did silly, one double-fudge, ooey-gooey, choco-chunk, ecstasy-inducing, fantasy chocolate cupcake at your disposal."

"Yummmmmmmmmmmmm." Sammy grinned, sliding her hands out to receive her medication, "Although I don't think I need any more ecstasy." She tried to mutter quietly.

"What?! You had a sex dream?! Tell!" Jasmine jumped on the bed, momentarily forgetting her friend's nauseousness.

"Oh-my-gosh-Jazz-don't-do-that!" Sam rushed out, holding tightly to her cupcake and her stomach, "I almost don't want to eat my cupcake now." She pouted.

"Smell the chocolate Sam, smell the chocolate." With a few quick sniffs, her stomach was feeling more settled and she slowly munched away. "Now dish! I want to know about your sinfully erotic dream!"

"It wasn't that bad Jazz, but you were in it." She smirked.

"Oh Sammy, if I knew you felt that way…"

"You loser, I meant you had your own fantasy pairing in my dream. It started out as a double wedding with you and Jack standing at the altar next to me and-" Sam blushed.

"Next to?" Jasmine prompted with a cheesy grin, "As if I didn't know."

"Yes alright, next to Willy Wonka. You and Jack sailed away after the wedding and we could still here your drunken laughter when we couldn't see the ship anymore."

Jasmine sighed, "Yeah that's my man."

"You're such a freak." Sam laughed, "Anyway Willy and I went on to our honeymoon."

"Aaaaaaaaaand? You can't leave me with no details!"

"He took me back to the factory, into this gigantic room filled with – what else – chocolate. There was this indented ground in the middle of the room that turned out to be this really plush bed that sunk down as we walked on it, but it moved a little like a waterbed. It was covered in chocolate colored silk sheets and instead of light bulbs the ceiling was covered in twinkly drop lights. There was a mini chocolate waterfall in one corner and it smelled absolutely divine! Plus it added the whole calming water sound to the room and there were a bunch of really pretty trees and flower bushes, the trunks were made of chocolate but the leaves and flowers were all sugar candies in so many different colors. Dear God this room was literally a chocolate heaven."

"Yea, yea, sounds gorgeous, get to the good stuff!" Jasmine replied.

"Jazz, I'm not supplying you with imaginary porn."

"But?"

"I really hope I get the chance to find out if the reality comes anywhere close to the fantasy!"

"That's my girl! I always knew I'd rub off on you sometime." Jasmine smiled widely.

"Anyway, who am I kidding? Even if I win the competition that's all it'll be. It's not like he's going to suddenly decide he can't live without me."

"You see? There! That's your problem. You're such a dreamer Sammy but you never have the confidence to just go for it! I love you to pieces lovely but stop being so down on yourself please! You are wonderfully smart and creative, you're fun and wild when the situation suits you, and you're absolutely gorgeous! Promise you'll give yourself more credit?"

"Jazz-"

"Okay if you were still following your never-gonna-happen attitude you wouldn't have an idea in this contest!"

"Hey just because I have an idea in, doesn't mean I'm going to win."

"Oh my gosh Sam, if you weren't going to win then why would Willy Wonka himself-oops."

"What? Willy Wonka what?" Sammy sat up in her bed, nauseous stomach completely forgotten, "Willy Wonka what you whack-job?"

Jasmine sighed, "Cat's out of the bag I guess," she shrugged, "Willy Wonka is going around checking out the top contenders of the contest to see if anything will tip the balance probably."

"Oh my gosh, this is really happening?"

"I told you, you were good darling." Jasmine smiled.

"Alright I promise. You wore me down you freaky little chipmunk, I'll start giving myself more credit."

"Chipmunk? I thought I was a squirrel? I've been demoted?" Jasmine pouted, widening her eyes and looking as pathetically lost as she could.

Sam shoved her best friend off the bed as she laughed, "Go away and let me sleep freaky. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She pulled the cover back over her head and was lost in the land of fluffy, chocolate-induced dreams.

"Nighty-night, sweetums." Jasmine closed the door and skipped away merrily. Things were going to be great. She just knew it.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **thank you to dionne dance , Erik-is-my-angel1234 , and gingerdream for the kind words :)

* * *

Willy Wonka was on to something, he knew it. Something was ringing in the back of his head that he needed to address. Something was telling him he had the answer to his problems already but for some gosh darn, flingin' flangin' reason he just couldn't put the pieces together! He looked over the tape of the suspicious man again and again and the ringing got louder. Alarm bells he decided. Not only was it obvious that this man was up to no good just by his attire and his shiftiness, but he was almost familiar. Prodnose maybe? Fickelgruber? He had long since thrown Slugworth out of business so it couldn't be him.

Suddenly, the answer hit him.

Literally.

Charlie had thrown it at his head.

Willy looked down at the balled up piece of paper now sitting in his lap and unfurled it. He found himself staring intently at the name of the man who had submitted the counterfeit idea and clenching his fists around the already abused application. He wanted nothing more than to track down that insufferable whangdoodle and throttle him! He looked to Charlie and saw a small yet sadistic grin forming on the young man's lips.

"Willy I know you want to just take care of the matter swiftly but why don't we take it a step further and ruin him completely? And I happen to know two soon-to-be winners that can help us as well. Or at least one." He chuckled, remembering the day they'd seen a man thoroughly emasculated, "Jasmine may be crazy but you have to admit, she's a genius when it comes to putting someone in their place."

"Hmm." Willy agreed, shuddering slightly at ever being on the woman's bad side, "Well let's go inform the winners shall we?"

Instinctively, Willy reached for the nearest item of tye-dye clothing before Charlie smacked his hand, "You realize there's no need for the disguise anymore right?"

"Oh." Willy looked slightly put out. After all, disguises were his thing!

"They already won the contest Willy." Charlie reminded him.

Willy immediately perked back up, "But no one else is supposed to know that! It is to be a secret my dear boy until the imposter man has been exposed and therefore – "

"No!" Charlie interrupted, "Let's just go." And Charlie took his hand and pulled him out the door.

Meanwhile, Samantha and Jasmine had hit that time of day when everyone was either at work, at school, or at home – already enjoying the cupcake they had previously bought. The shop had already been cleaned up from the previous rush hour and the two girls were sitting on the countertop trying to guess the song that Bridgette was acting out. So far Jasmine had guessed 'super' from Bridgette pretending to take off a pair of glasses and then flying around the room but both girls were stumped as to what she was doing now.

It was Samantha who suddenly got it, and just as the bakery doors opened at that. "Super Freak!"

Willy's foot hesitated a moment before coming through the doorway but with a firm push from Charlie, he continued. Jasmine and Bridgette burst into uncontrolled laughter as Sammy's cheeks turned bright red at her horrible timing. "So mister chocolate man!" Jasmine clapped her hands together, "As you are sans disguise and accompanied by mini mister chocolate man, I assume we can begin the celebrations?" She waggled her eyebrows in expectance.

"Well-um, I mean- that is to say-"

"You guys won the contest!" Charlie said for him.

"Yea that!"

"YES!" Jasmine whooped, throwing her fist in the air as Bridgette started happy dancing and Samantha stood speechless and immobile until Jasmine swept her into an energetic waltz across the floor.

"But!" Charlie interrupted over the excitement.

"No!" Jasmine pouted.

"There's just one little problem." Willy supplied apologetically, handing the card with the stolen idea to Sam.

"Oh I remember this idea." She chuckled warmly, "But I don't remember putting it in the hat. Jazz, did you submit this?"

Jasmine read the idea for chocolate hearts and smiled, this was the idea they had come up with together after Willy's chocolate birds had first come out. Jasmine thought about applying the kinetics from the birds into wings attached to a heart filled with champagne for special occasions such as weddings and bridal showers. Samantha had taken it a step further, saying one heart should have a shooting arrow go through it and have it filled with rum for twenty-first birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, or even job promotions; they also thought of a regular heart that could appear to thump and would be filled with either red or white wine for things like first dates.

All of a sudden the implication hit Jasmine. She hadn't submitted this idea and obviously neither had Sammy. So who did? "I don't get it." She admitted, "Where did you get this idea from?"

"That's the problem." Willy replied, "Someone submitted this idea the day after you two entered yours."

"We don't want to announce you two as the winners just yet because we want to make this guy pay." Charlie smirked, "That's where you come in Jasmine."

"So that's why you guys were checking up on us? Because you didn't know who was the original inventor?"

"You betchya!" Willy smiled, "And we could use your help in getting back at the snozwanger who tried to plagiarize you!"

"Snozwanger?" Samantha asked, her face scrunching up in confusion at the same time Jasmine smirked evilly and said, "I'm in."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **I placed the factory in Vancouver, Canada because some of the people in the 2005 movie had British accents but the woman who offered Charlie money for his ticket said dollars. I figured people in Vancouver have sort of British-ish accents and the woman never specified American dollar or Canadian so yea. Sorry if that's confusing :)

**ONE MORE CHAPTER AFTER THIS (and then you'll finally know what the winning idea was)**

* * *

The world was gathered outside the gates of the Wonka factory. Well not really, but it seemed as though the entirety of Vancouver was because just in front of the gates, a raised podium had been mysteriously erected overnight, upon which the eclectic chocolatier and his partner-in-training now perched. Willy Wonka's contest had ended, and one lucky person was about to become filthy rich. The anxious murmur of the gathered peoples' musings had long since quieted, awkwardly waiting for Mr. Wonka to speak, but he seemed content to merely observe the crowd for the time being. Finally, he lowered his lips to the microphone in front of him and addressed the impatient populous before him in a professional voice that surprised them.

"Greetings all. I'm sure many of you are curious as to not only the winner of this contest, but the reason behind it as well. After all, why would a world renowned chocolatier need help creating chocolate? Well to be honest this contest was created out of desperation. I and my partner, Charlie Bucket, are more than capable of creating chocolate that children world-wide have and will adore, but my father mentioned in passing once that he should like to see a chocolate for the elder generations. I thought the idea was genius, but having immersed myself in childhood for so long, I was incapable of changing the mold.

And so I created this contest in the hopes that creativity would spark out of all the minds of Vancouver. Now I will not lie, I was sorely disappointed to begin with and had contemplated expanding the contest once more to include the world, but two things stopped me. The first being that I recalled the paperwork from the first contest and had no desire to repeat the nightmare." He paused for the polite laughter before allowing Charlie to continue the rehearsed speech.

"The second reason we didn't expand is because a few ideas were submitted that we thought were spectacular. First we'd like to acknowledge a Mr. Hubert Gradstein for submitting his idea for insta-melt chocolates. His idea has won third place and we will attempt a mock-up to send you for your personal enjoyment." Charlie looked at the crowd to see a pepper-haired man being pat on the back in congratulations and condolence and smiled, "Your idea was unique compared to the other submissions but we chose against it because it didn't really offer something so far as an _adult_ chocolate and we saw a few problems with marketing."

Willy chose to interrupt here, "Some of you may remember Prince Pondecherry." The crowd laughed genuinely and Mr. Gradstein nodded his head in acknowledgement of the criticism.

"For second and first place," Willy continued, "We were faced with a slight problem. The ideas were incredibly similar to each other and I sensed foul play was underfoot." The crowd began to murmur once again at the thought that someone would consider cheating despite Mr. Wonka's warnings in the contest's beginning.

"Nevertheless!" Charlie raised his voice to be heard above the others and the voices quieted down again, "We believe we've gotten to the bottom of things."

"Will Mr. Justin Fletchly please step forward and join us here in front of everyone." Willy announced proudly. A few groups of people scattered throughout the crowd gasped as they had thought for sure that Samantha and Jasmine would take the cake. Their boo's however were swallowed by the applause of everyone else. "We thought," Willy continued once the response had died again, "we thought this man deserved the publicity his mind deserves. More importantly there are two people who wanted nothing more to reward this man in every way that he deserves."

Willy and Charlie quickly stepped back as Jasmine and Samantha, who had snuck onto the podium behind Justin, took their places on either side of the fraudulent man. Justin looked nervously between them as Jasmine slung a deceptively friendly arm across his shoulders and Samantha stood angled towards him and the crowd, her arms crossed and a devious smirk on her lips. "Hello girls." He chuckled nervously.

"Hello dirtbag!" Jasmine greeted with a Cheshire cat grin.

"Hello Justin." Samantha replied evenly, "Ladies and gentlemen!" She turned to the audience, "Some of you know me and my partner, Jasmine." She gestured to her friend who raised her left arm in salute, her right arm still holding tightly to Justin who wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run, "We own a bakery in the heart of downtown called Besties' Bakery and we too submitted an idea to this contest." The people who had boo'd Justin began to cheer, "Well as it turns out someone else thought our ideas had merit and submitted them as his own. Isn't that right?" She turned to her ex-boyfriend and glared, hissing so only he could hear, "Fess up, sleaze."

"Fine! Alright? I admit it!" He violently threw Jasmine's arm off of him and faced Samantha head on, "Your freak friend left her little journal out with your stupid ideas on them and I looked through it while you were in the back. When the contest came out, I thought I'd teach you a lesson about thinking you were all high and mighty so I submitted one of the ideas I remembered. You always thought you were so much better than me but the fact is you were too scared to ever make it **anywhere **without me! Well now I don't need you because I've already got three companies lined up to do business with me and thanks to this schmuck keeping this contest low-key, they'll still be marketing _your_ ideas with _my_ name and paying me buckets of money." He smirked victoriously.

"Hey ass!" Jasmine called a second before she crouched and pulled his pants down in front of everyone, "This is a televised event." She smiled and pranced over to high-five Charlie.

Just as the irate man was about to lunge at the women who had ruined his name and his career, two security guards escorted him off stage and into a waiting police cruiser.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present the winners of my most recent contest, Samantha Mayborne and Jasmine Cardelle!"


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Sorry this took so long but I had never intended for this story to be more than 10 chapters and so it was really hard bringing it to a close. Also real life got the better of me yet again but hey, what can you do.

Hope you enjoy the winning idea!

* * *

Once the cheering had died down enough to be heard, Willy made his quick goodbyes and ushered everyone off the stage and into his factory before anyone could think to ask questions. He may have gotten better over the years, but he was still averse to large crowds. He was also still reluctant to let Jasmine into the factory but he had learned his lesson with Charlie's family and he would learn to be more comfortable around the strange woman obsessed with pirates and the color blue. He eyed her carefully as she was currently crouching low so Charlie could whisper in her ear. The young man's conspiratory ways concerned him enough without adding an adult into the mix and Charlie's mischievous grin assured the chocolatier that he was up to something.

"So when do we get started, boss?" Samantha winked playfully and nudged his arm.

Willy giggled nervously, "How about tomorrow? First I can give you and Jasmine a tour of the factory!"

"Willy!" Charlie warned overhearing his plans.

"A _friendly_ tour." Willy amended with a sheepish smile towards Jasmine who merely crossed her arms and cocked a brow having read about the previous contestants in the paper.

"I just have one question for you bucko." Jasmine glared menacingly, stalking closer with a finger pointed at his chest, "Is it true you have a chocolate sea upon which a candy vessel will take me wherever it is my heart craves?"

"Yes?" Willy replied cautiously, "The oompa loompas steer the candy boat through the chocolate-"

"No! It must be a vessel that I can steer! And there must be a gorgeous chocolate man who looks somewhat like you but with more muscles, a tan, facial hair, and tattoos…so really nothing like you…except for the face…the structure is similar anyway…and I think you're a good height."

"Oh for the love of chocolate fudge, Jazzy just shut up and let us get on with the tour! I'll make you a chocolate Jack for your birthday if you promise not to tell me what you do to it." Sam rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Deal! Tally-ho!" Upon Willy's confused glance, Jasmine deadpanned, "Means go?"

True to Willy's words, the tour went off without a hitch…except for the part where Jasmine had been so enamored with the chocolate waterfall that she tried to dive in…or the part where Samantha was so taken in by the chocolate room that the boat almost left without her…or when both Samantha and Jasmine pushed a button on the elevator at the same time and accidentally overrode the door's closing mechanism and they almost fell out…

The girls were quick to learn however and a mere week after the announcement of their victory, they both knew their way in, out, and about the factory with ease. Samantha was obviously a more frequent visitor than Jasmine as she would work tirelessly with Willy, helping to make not only her winning idea but the prototype for the insta-melt that would hopefully be ready to send to Mr. Gradstein by the end of the month. Jasmine kept the bakery running with Bridgette until Sam was ready to come back full time and occasionally would visit with the Buckets while Miss Busy-Bee was off with Mr. Hunky-Chocolate-Dream-Man. Things were progressing wonderfully until the random day when Sam, in a flurry of emotion, barged into the bakery with her hands shaking, her hair frazzled, and her chest heaving from the mad dash across town.

"I'm screwed!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, ignoring the worried glances from the late lunchers and cupcake lovers.

"I thought scaring people was my thing?" Jasmine mumbled to Bridgette as she came around the counter to aid her friend. Bridgette choked her laughter down as she handed the change in her hand to the patient customer in front of her. "Come on, lovely. Come in the back and calmly tell ol' Jazzy-cakes why getting screwed is a bad thing." She winked.

Samantha blushed as she plopped down into a comfy chair in the back, not wanting to tell her friend how close to the truth her little innuendo had gotten. "Willy and I have been working on my candy idea," she took a deep breath, "and it was going fine until we had to test it but then it started working. I started to get all tingly and apparently so did he and then…"

"Then?" Jasmine prompted her.

"He almost kissed me." She mumbled.

"Now, now, my dear we mustn't mumble if we wish to attract our yummy little chocolate man. And by 'we' I mean you of course." Jasmine began filing her nails as she propped her feet on the desk and leaned back in her office chair. "What do you mean almost?"

"Well he seemed to snap out of it before we actually did anything and then he blushed a bit and made an excuse to leave." She dropped her chin in her palms miserably.

"Well he blushed at least, that's a good sign so now we just need a plan to get you two a little cozier."

"What?"

Jasmine's feet dropped and she faced Sammy sternly, "You mean to tell me you've been working with your dream man for close to two months now and you _haven't_ put any moves on him?"

"Well, no! Of course not! We're partners Jazz not _partners._"

"Yes but you want to be."

"Of course I want to be."

"Well then what's the problem?"

Samantha opened her mouth to retort when she closed it again comically. There really wasn't a problem of trying for something she's always wanted. After all if she hadn't listened to Jasmine in the first place she wouldn't even be working with the fabulous Mr. Wonka at all. Maybe all she had to do was pluck up her courage and go for it.

Jasmine saw the acceptance on her friends face and smiled, "Now, we need to think of what you can do to-"

"No." Samantha replied. For once in her life she was going to go for something she truly wanted all on her own.

"No?"

"No plans. I'm doing this my way."

"B-b-but. Planning and plotting is what I do! You take that away from me and I have nothing!" Jasmine pouted.

"Sorry, love, but I gotta do this myself. No meddling."

"Fine." Jasmine huffed, crossing her arms.

"Thanks Jazz, I appreciate you actually listening for once," she laughed, "I'll talk to you later." Sam hopped out of her comfy chair and skipped back to the factory.

"As if!" Jasmine scoffed and picked up the phone.

* * *

Charlie Bucket was an angel of a boy. He always did his chores, his grades never faltered from above average, and he didn't have a malicious bone in his body. He was also a ten year old boy bursting with creativity and plenty of wiliness to make up for the lack of naughtiness. So when he received a call at 3:52pm informing him of an opportunity to cause some well-mannered mischief, he was more than happy to oblige. The first step, of course, was to inform and recruit the oompa loompas.

* * *

Willy and Sam had just finished up for the day, planning to leave their work to simmer for the night, and they were casually strolling towards the elevator when Samantha heard the tell tale sign of overheating. She grabbed Willy's arm and both turned towards the pot of chocolate that was unexplainably bubbling over and just as they reached the controls to nullify the problem, they both found themselves covered head to toe in gooey brown sweetness.

"Eh-heh." Willy chuckled, "That shouldn't have happened."

"So why did it?" Sam stared inquisitively at the pot.

"Nothing we can't figure out after we get cleaned up yeah?" Willy nudged her gently towards the elevator again, only to meet resistance from the woman who was not used to letting a problem sit. "Sam?"

"Hmm? Oh yea, I suppose you're right." She turned around, all be-it a bit too quickly, and slipped in the puddle growing by her feet. Willy reached a hand out to catch her, only to end up slipping in his own puddle and falling on top of her. "Ow!" Sam squeaked as she felt her ankle twinge under his weight.

"I'm so sorry!" Willy squeaked in return, "Here, let me." He stood abruptly and helped her to stand throwing her arm across his shoulder so she could test her ability to walk. He caught her again before she collapsed and she grumbled at the now useless appendage. Without a second thought, Willy picked her up and carried her to the Great Glass Elevator.

Sam looped her arms around Willy reflexively and stared at him in wonder. You wouldn't think there was much of a figure beneath that stiff, tailored jacket, but William Wonka certainly was not all candy and fluff. For a moment, Sam thanked the chocolate covering her cheeks so Willy could not see the blood rising in them, but she couldn't help the way her fingers flexed over his broad shoulders. As the elevator doors closed, Willy juggled Sam in his arms a little to push the button for the chocolate room, hoping Mrs. Bucket would have something to make Sam feel better; after all, the puppet hospital was hardly the place for a person. Willy, however, did not account for the weight of an extra person in his balance and when the elevator took off, his back hit the panel of buttons behind him, the elevator went in a fritz, Sam screamed and clutched Willy tighter towards her, Willy held on as best he could to Sam and the safety catch above him, and suddenly everything stopped.

Willy quickly settled himself on the floor with Samantha in his lap in case the elevator took off once more and Sam could do nothing but curl herself into him, frightened for both of their lives as they remained suspended over the factory. "The oompa loompas will fix it in no time, don't you worry. I have one monitoring the elevator at all times for just an emergency heh, heh. No need to panic." Willy tried to calm her while trying to ignore his own quivering heart. He had never held someone so close before. Well, except for the time Grandma Georgina glommed onto him for smelling like peanuts, but that was completely different. Sam poked her head out from the crook of his neck and looked up at him hopefully, and for what happened next, Willy would forever blame the chocolate covering their bodies and permeating the air causing endorphins to just fly about, but he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, savoring sweet chocolate kisses.

* * *

Charlie turned his eyes away from the security feed from the elevator with a devilish smile on his cheeky little face. _That took a lot less meddling than I thought it would_, he chuckled to himself. He had prepared a whole clipboard of ideas for the two of them, including a scandalous game of truth or dare where Willy would have to push past his "germophobia" and let Sam feed him a chocolate covered strawberry by her hand. He didn't get it but adults seemed to find that stuff sappy and romantic. _Oh well_, he shrugged, _Guess now I get to go clean up my mess_. And he moved toward the invention room to take care of the spilled confection.

* * *

"I feel like we're in a fairy tale." Samantha breathed after the two had finally pulled apart.

"Me too." Willy whispered.

"I guess my invention worked huh?"

Willy smirked as he looked directly into her eyes, "I don't think it was just the chocolate." He leaned in and stole another kiss, reveling in the warm tingle left by the chocolate and the hot burn left by his desire, both uncaring of the now moving elevator.

**Wonka Announces Winning Idea Now on Sale!**

Dissolvable Lovey Doves: The Closest Chocolate Ever Came to Love (warning: addicting; not for the faint of heart)

* * *

And that's that! If you didn't get the winning idea it was a chocolate that melts in your mouth and as it dissolves it leaves the tingly feeling you get with puppy love ^.^ Review please!

**To ThePurpleness: **You are seriously one of my best friends EVER and despite how late I may have been with giving you a chapter or sometimes missing a holiday, I hope you enjoyed it :) (btw make sure I get that folder back so I can finish printing it all)


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